Car underframe



, sept'. 15, 1936. J. G. BWER I CAR 111113111111111AME Filed nec. :24,l 1931 4 sheets-sheet 1 i fill' Jllvl.

gwvmto Jrome G. Bowe @@NKW Sept. 15, 1936.v J. G. BOWER CAR AUNDERFRAME Filed Dec. 24, 1931 gmentoz Jerome Gf. Bowen Sept. l5, 19316. J. G. BowER 'CAR UNDERFRAME.

Filed Deo. 24, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 f3 u if l;

iz 1. N

Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED vs'lwAT-Es CAR UNDERFRAIVIE Jerome. G. Bower, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, Ohio Application December 24, 1931, Serial No. 583,111

4 Claims. (Cl. 105-415) This invention relates to improvements in car underframes and more particularly to a car underframe formed of a single piece metal casting. More specifically, the invention pertains to underframes for mine cars, but it is not restricted to this use, as such underframes can be used on many other types of cars.

Heretofore it has been customary to build cars by using an underframe which has transverse and longitudinal beams for carrying the load and distributing the same to the car axles, and which has a oor plate secured to its top. Side plates are riveted to the sides of the underframe to complete the car body. As the above mentioned underframe beams must be of an appreciable depth below the oor plate, the space between the bottom of the beams and the top of the floor is not utilized, and this results in a waste of space. Furthermore, some types of underframes require the assembly of many parts, causing a high labor cost. It is customary in the known constructions to use rolled steel plates for the'floor, and these corrode easily and have to be replaced, which results also in high maintenance cost.

An object of this invention is to provide in a one-piece metal casting, all the essential features of a car underframe, including the car floor and pedestals for the axle journal boxes.

Another object is to provide a one-piece metal underframe of pan form and including a corrugated iioor plate and means to facilitate the attachment of side plates to the frame.

A further object is to furnish an underframe which will increase the cubical contents of the car body without increasing the weight or cost.

Another object is to provide an underframe on which a car body of specified cubical content may be'built at less expense of material and weight.

A still further object is to furnish a one-piece car underframe including a corrugated floor plate, draft gear pocket and journal box pedestals. The corrugated shape of the iioor will remove the necessity for cross beams and make t-he car floor self supporting.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a top plan view of one-half of a car underframe made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same partially in transverse vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views taken respectively on the lines 4 4, 5 5 and' 6-6 of .liV Fig. 1.

Fig. 'l is a top plan view of one-half of a modified form of underframe.

Fig. 8 is an end view partly in transversevertical section of the modified form.

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views of the modification taken respectively on the lines lle-9 and III-I0 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 Vis a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing a further modification. 15l

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a detail of this further modification, taken on the line VI2-I2 of Fig. 11. f

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, I0 designates a car underframe formed of a one-piece metal casting of substantially pan formation. I prefer to make such underframe out of cast steel since this material is known to Vresist corrosion to a greater extent than rolled shapes, and the metal can be distributed to better advantage in providing for strength and against corrosion. Such underframe will be supported by the usual car wheels I I. The plate which forms the bottom or iioor of the car is of corrugated form, and such corrugated shape greatly increases the load carrying capacity of the car floor and allows the floor to be located below the top of the underframe casting, so that space heretofore wasted can now be utilized. End flanges I3 Vand side flanges I4 which form an endless wall upstanding from the floor, add strength to the underframe and provide means for securing the side sheets (not shown) of the ear body to the underframe. It will be observed that such flanges are provided with rivet holes. Integrally united with the medialflongitudinal portion of the underframe are the coupler pocket l5 and coupler. carrier I6, the draft gear pockets I1, and the draft stops I8. Pedestal jaws I9 depend from the opposite sides of the under- 45 frame and each is associated with a spring seat and a spring retaining lug 2I. Lugs 22, 23 and 24 for the attachment of brake parts (not shown) also depend from the floor, and of course, all of the parts I9, 20, 2|, 22, 23 and 24 are integral parts of the casting.

Longitudinal ribs 26 serve to reinforce the rear draft stop I8 and merge into the car bottom; and transverse ribs 21 reinforce the draft gear and 55 2. In a mine car or the like, a car underframe Y coupler pockets and are also integralwith the floorV has more rounded surfaces, as shown at |2a, and the central inverted groove which receives the rapping block 25a has a thickened wall as shown atY 25h. Y

In Figs. 11 and 12, the bottom is of u'ndulated shape, as indicated at I2b, and there are a greater number'of ridges Vand valleys thanin the embodiments shown in the other gures. Furthermore, each end flange |3arin this embodiment forms an apron |31) which projects downwardly below the oor plate.

The novelty of such embodiments lies prin-V cipally in the corrugated contour of the car iloor or bottom l2, and in the fact that the floor is positioned below therrtop ofV the underframe proper. While the drawings show the corrugations running longitudinally of" the under-Y frame, it is to be understood that they can run rugations run longitudinally for in that position theyadd column strength to the car for resisting draft forces. .I believe it is also Ynovel to make the coupler pocket, coupler carrier, draft gear pocket, pedestal jaws, etc., integral parts of a casting having a corrugated fioor positioned below the top of the underframe.

- From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, use and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and I am aware that changes may begmade in the details disclosed, Vwithout departing from Vthe spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims. v What is claimed and desired to be Vsecured by Letters Patent is:

Y 1. In a mine car or the like, a car underframe formed of a one-piece metal casting of substantially pan-shape and having arcorrugated bottom forming a car body iloor, said corrugations extending lengthwise substantially the full length of the underframe, one of said corrugations formingV a central groove at the bottom of the underframe at the center thereof, a coupler carrier arranged beneath the central portion of the underframe Where said groove is located, other corrugations of the bottom forming side grooves atropposite sides of the central groove, said underframe having an upstanding perimeter Wall projecting from said iioor and integral with the floor, and supporting wheels for the car, pro

.A jecting into the side grooves.

formed of a one-piece metal casting of substantially pan-shape and having a corrugated bottom forming a car body oor, said corrugations extending lengthwise substantiallyrthe full length of the underframe, one of said corruga-V tions forming a central groove at the bottom of the underframe at the'center thereof, acoupler carrier arranged beneath the centralportion of the underframe where said groove is 1ocated, other corrugations of the bottom forining side grooves at opposite sides of the central groove, said underframe having an upstanding perimeter wall projecting from said floor and integral with the floor, supporting wheels for the car, projecting into the side grooves, and pedestal jaws depending Vfrom the opposite side portions of the underframe and positioned outwardly of said wheels. Y Y

3. In a mine car or the like, a car underframe formed of a one-piece metal casting of'substantially pan-shape and having a corrugated bottom forming a car body floor, said corrugations extending lengthwise substantially the full length of the underframe, one of said corrugations forming a central groove at the'bottom of theV underframe at the center thereof, a coupler carrier arranged beneath the central portion of the underframe where said groove is located, other corrugations of thebottom forming'side grooves at opposite sides of ther central groove, said underframe having an upstanding perimeter wall projecting'from said floor and Yintegral with the oor, supporting wheels for the car, projecting into the side grooves, and pedestal jaws depending from the opposite side portions of the underframe and positioned outwardly of said wheels, said floor having longitudinal groovesV in its top surface arranged immediately above Y forming a car body floor, Vsaid corrugations VeX-vV tending lengthwise substantially the full length of the underframe, one of said corrugations forming a central groove Yat the bottom of the under frame at the center thereof, an integral coupler carrier arranged beneath the central portion of the underframe where said groove is located, other corrugationsY of the body forming side grooves at opposite sides of the coupler carrier to accommodate wheels of the car, pedestal jaws integral with the floor and depending from the floorV outwardly of said side grooves to accommodate the axle of said wheels, said underframe having an upstanding perimeter wall projecting from said floor and integral Y.with the positioned immediately above the outer portion of the pedestal jaws. Y JEROME G. BOWER.

Y latter, opposite side portions of said wall being 

